Marcus writes regularly for all the major broadsheets and for several years had a weekly column in The Times called Sexy Maths followed by Sexy Science. He has also written for a range of magazines from The New Scientist to Wired Magazine, from the Economist to Esquire Magazine. Below are a few selected highlights of Marcus’s articles.
The Big Idea: is there such a thing as the perfect game?
The Guardian, 9 October 2023
To coincide with the publication of Around the World in 80 Games this article explores those qualities that make a good game and proposes that perhaps Backgammon passes all the tests to qualify as perhaps the Perfect Game.
Can AI ever be truly creative?
New Scientist, 12 May 2019
Deciding whether artificial intelligence can one day make great art demands a deep dive into human consciousness as Marcus explores in this article tackling the big question: Can AI be truly creative?
Read article page 1 | Read article page 2 | Read article page 3 | Read article page 4
Wired: The Creativity Code
Wired, 5 March 2019
Flashes of inspiration are considered a human gift that drives innovation – but the monopoly is over. AI can be programmed to invent and refine ideas and connections. An extract from Marcus’s new book The Creativity Code.
Can AI become conscious?
The Guardian, 9 March 2019
Article in the Guardian about Marcus’s triptych Strange Loops at the Barbican. Can AI become conscious? Bach, Escher and Gödel’s ‘strange loops’ may have the answer. In 1979, a cult book by Douglas Hofstadter explored consciousness via a mathematical idea found in art and music. Now, in the AI revolution, that concept could solve a vital question.
Financial Times: Could AI replace human writers?
Financial Times, 22 March 2019
Could AI replace human writers? As algorithms master the craft of generating stories, what are the implications for humanity? Article in the Financial Times to coincide with Marcus’s appearance at the Oxford Literary Festival talking about his new book The Creativity Code.
Why aren’t people listening to scientists?
LA Times, 23 April 2017
There has been an unprecedented attack on expert scientific advice prompting the March for Science in Washington (which I attended) and worldwide. But as my OpEd argues the March must be the catalyst for an extended dialogue about science and its impact on society.
More of Marcus’ articles
-
The Big Idea: is there such a thing as the perfect game?, The Guardian, 9 October 2023
Strategy and unpredictability are a winning combination – as long as the rules are simple
-
Can AI ever be truly creative?, New Scientist, 12 May 2019
To coincide with the publication of The Creativity Code Marcus explores whether AI can ever be truly creative.
Read article page 1 | Read article page 2 | Read article page 3 | Read article page 4
-
Financial Times: Could AI replace human writers?, Financial Times, 22 March 2019
Article in the Financial Times exploring the power of AI to write stories.
-
Can AI become conscious?, The Guardian, 9 March 2019
Article in the Guardian about Marcus’s triptych Strange Loops at the Barbican
-
Wired: The Creativity Code, Wired, 5 March 2019
An extract from Marcus’s new book The Creativity Code.
-
The History of Maths, BBC History Magazine, September 2017
Comment piece on the role of history in teaching mathematics.
-
Why aren’t people listening to scientists?, LA Times, 23 April 2017
Op-Ed to coincide with the March for Science in Washington
-
Probing The Great Unknown, Scientific American, 11 April 2017
Guest blog about the writing of my new book The Great Unknown
-
Bhutan solves the ultimate school maths problem – and the answer is 108, The Guardian, 4 April 2017
How Bhutan is successfully taking on the challenge of inspiring children to love maths
Read article online | Read article page 1 | Read article page 2
-
Six of the Best: Fractals, The Times, 4 February 2017
Six of the best examples of fractals in art
-
Wired: What We Cannot Know, Wired, September 2016
Article about Marcus’s new book What We Cannot Know.
-
If I ruled the world, Prospect, June 2016
Article for Prospect Magazine
-
Dispatches back from 2024, Wired Magazine, 3 July 2014
My dispatch back from the year 2024.
-
Ask a grown-up, The Guardian, 2 November 2013
How many grains of sand are there in the world?
-
How composers from Mozart to Bach made their music add up, The Guardian, 5 April 2013
Article about maths and music
-
How Machine Intelligence is Evolving, The Observer, 1 April 2012
This article was written to tie in with my BBC Horizon programme about AI.
-
Why the Taxman has your Number, The Times, 22 October 2008
Part of the Sexy Maths series
-
A calculating approach to love, The Times, 15 October 2008
Part of the Sexy Maths series
-
Happy (birthday) coincidences, The Times, 8 October 2008
Part of the Sexy Maths series
-
Primes of Passion, The Times, 1 October 2008
Part of the Sexy Maths series
Read article | If you would like the complete sexy maths series from the Times then here is a link. This is a large file 104MB
